Spreading implements and/or transport vehicles

ABSTRACT

An implement for transporting and/or spreading material includes a container with inclined sides and an outlet at the bottom. A rotary spreader is positioned below the outlet and a conveying screw is mounted in the container to extend upwardly from near the bottom to above the container rim. The screw is connectable to the spreader, and both are operated by the same drive shaft. The screw is mounted in a tube and secured in the container against displacement with a further delivery unit coupled to the top of the tube extending approximately horizontally to deliver material from the bottom of the container up and laterally away from the implement. The screw and tube can be readily detached from the drive shaft and the container and an agitator substituted.

United States Patent Mackinnon 1 Aug. 8, 1972 [54] SPREADING IMPLEMENTS AND/OR TRANSPORT VEHICLES [73] Assignee: Lely Ltd., Burlington, Canada [22] Filed: May 25, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 40,116

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 30, 1969 Netherlands ..6908237 [52] US. Cl ..239/651, 239/663 [51] 'Int. Cl. ..A01c 3/07, A01c 7/08, A01c 15/00 [58] Field of Search ....239/65l, 663, 675; 214/8332 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,561,681 2/ 1971 Tyler ..239/663 R24,92O 1/1961 Palmer ..239/65l FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 821,857 11/1951 Germany ..239/651 Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King AttorneyMason, Mason & Albright [57] ABSTRACT An implement for transporting and/or spreading material includes a container with inclined sides and an outlet at the bottom. A rotary spreader is positioned below the outlet and a conveying screw is mounted in the container to extend upwardly from near the bottom to above the container rim. The screw is connectable to the spreader, and both are operated by the same drive shaft. The screw is mounted in a tube and secured in the container against displacement with a further delivery unit coupled to the top of the tube extending approximately horizontally to deliver material from the bottom of the container up and laterally away from the implement. The screw and tube can be readily detached from the drive shaft and the container and an agitator substituted.

23 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEB B 1912 3.332.393

sum 2 [IF 3 SPREADING IMPLEMENTS AND/OR TRANSPORT VEHICLES According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an implement or vehicle of the kind set forth, wherein the container is provided with mechanism for delivering the contents thereof, said delivery mechanism comprising a conveying member constructed and arranged to deliver such material over the upper rim of the container to a location disposed therebeyond.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a combined spreading implement and transport vehicle in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a part-sectional rear elevation as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a part-sectional side elevation showing a spreading member of the implement, and parts associated therewith, to an enlarged scale and in greater detail,

FIG. 4 is a section, to an enlarged scale, taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3, and

.FIG. 5 corresponds to FIG. 3 but shows the implement arranged for a spreading operation rather than a transport operation.

Referring to the drawings, the combined spreading implement and transport vehicle which is illustrated has a frame that is generally indicated by the reference 1, said frame being supported from the ground by four ground wheels located at the opposite ends of a rear axle 5 and a front axle 6, only three ground wheels 2, 3 and 4 of said four ground wheels being visible in FIGS.

l and 2 of the drawings. The ground wheels are rotatably mounted at the ends of the fixed axles 5 and 6 and it will be evident from the drawings that these axles are resiliently connected to the frame 1 in a generally conventional manner with the aid of two pairs of leaf spring assemblies 7 and 8. The frame 1 supports a contalner in the form of a hopper 9 to which end the frame includes two opposite lateral supporting members 10 and 11 that are sustained from beneath by corresponding longitudinal beams 12 and 13 respectively. The beams 12 and 13 are interconnected by transverse beams 90 and 91 to form a horizontally disposed framework which is part of the frame 1.

As seen in the side elevation of FIG. 1, the hopper 9 has approximately the shape of a right-angled triangle, the edges thereof that are approximately perpendicular to one another being the uppermost edge thereof and the rearmost edge thereof relative to the intended direction of forward travel 23 of the implement. The hopper has a front wall 14 which is the hypotenuse edge of the triangle just mentioned, said wall 14 being inclined to the horizontal by an angle 15 having a magnitude of about 30. The rear wall 16 of the hopper 9 is inclined to the horizontal at an angle 17 which it is preferred should have a magnitude of not less than 65 and which, in the example that is being described, has a magnitude of about 78. The hopper 9 has opposite inclined side walls 18 and 19 that are disposed symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane 21 (FIG. 2) of approximate symmetry of the vehicle that extends parallel to the direction 23. Both of the side walls 18 and 19 are inclined to the horizontal by an angle 20 having a magnitude of about 45. The hopper 9 has an uppennost rim the lateral portions 92 of which are inclined inwardly and upwardly towards one another at approximately the same angles as the rearmost portion 53 of said rim which is also inclined inwardly and upwardly. As can be seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the foremost portion of said rim is in two parts a lower one of which is inclined upwardly and outwardly relative to the center of the hopper while the upper part is oppositely inclined both upwardly and inwardly.

The bottom'of the hopper 9 is provided with a circular cylindrical spout-like outlet portion 22 from which said walls 14, 16, 18 and 19 diverge upwardly so that said outlet portion is at the inverted apex of an approximately pyramid-shaped figure. The foremost extremity of the outlet portion 22 (relative to the direction 23) touches a vertical plane 24 (FIG. 1) that is perpendicular to the direction 23 and it will be noted that this plane 24 is spaced a short distance behind the rear wheels of the implement, only the rear wheel 2 of which is visible in the drawings. The lowermost extremity of the spout-like outlet portion 22 is formed with an outlet port 22A (FIG. 3) and a rotary spreading member 25 is located centrally beneath the outlet portion 22. The spreading member 25 includes a stepped horizontal disc 31 which is secured to a central substantially vertical shaft 26 and which is provided with a plurality of curved spreading blades 32. The substantially vertical shaft 26 constitutes the output shaft of a gear box 27 that is fastened to a frame beam 28 interconnecting the longitudinal beams 12 and 13. The gear box 27 has an approximately horizontally disposed forwardly projecting input shaft 29 that can be rotated from a transmission shaft 30 (FIG. 1) by way of a universal joint which can be seen in outline and in broken lines in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The shaft 26 has an upper portion 33 that projects above the horizontal disc 31 of the spreading member 25 and a stop or engagement cam 34 (FIG. 4) is provided on the upper surface of the disc 31 at a short radial distance from said portion 33 of the shaft 26.

A delivery mechanism 35 for powdered, granular or other discrete material carried by the hopper 9 is disposed detachably within that hopper, said mechanism 35 comprising a substantially cylindrical conveyor housing 36 inside which is located a conveying member 37. The conveying member 37 takes the form of an archimedean screw or auger blade 38 wound helically around a central shaft 39 whose longitudinal axis is substantially coincident with that of the conveyor housing 36'and that of the shaft 26. The upperrnost end of the shaft 39 is joumalled in a bearing 40 (FIGS. 1 and 2) carried by an upper end plate of the conveyor housing 36. The lowermost end of the conveyor housing 36 is provided with a locating and supporting member 41 which member 41 comprises a cylindrical portion 42 shaped to fit inside the spout-like outlet portion 22 of the hopper 9 and a funnel-shaped portion 43 disposed above the cylindrical portion 42 and having four relatively inclined walls shaped to fit against the internal surfaces of the corresponding four walls 14, 16, 18 and 19 of the hopper 9. Rods or bars 44 extend between the conveyor housing 36 and the plates of the funnel-shaped portion 43 of the locating and supporting member 41, said rods or bars 44 thus maintaining a rigid connection between the conveyor housing and the locating and supporting member. A lowermost end region of the central shaft 39 of the delivery mechanism 35 is journalled in a vertical ball bearing 45 (FIG. 3) carried by a horizontal bottom plate 46 that closes the cylindrical portion 42 of the locating and supporting member 41. The shaft 39 and the conveying member 37 are thus centrally journalled in the cylindrical conveyor housing 36.

The central shaft 39 is provided, below the horizontal bottom plate 46, with a coupling mechanism 47 to enable said shaft to be placed in driven connection with the shaft 26 by way of the disc 31 of the spreading member 25. To this end, the coupling mechanism 47 includes a projecting arm 48 (FIGS. 3 and 4) intended to abut against the stop or engagement cam 34 carried by the disc 31. It will be seen from FIG. 4 of the drawings that the disc 31 is intended to rotate in the direction of an arrow 64 and that said stop 34 will thus rotate into engagement with the arm 48 and sub-' sequently drive the shaft 39. In order to avoid axial disengagement of the coupling mechanism 47 from the stop 34, said mechanism also includes a projecting plate 49 above which a radially inwardly directed lug 50 of the stop 34 is located when said stop and the arm 48 are in engagement with one another. It will be evident that said lug 50 prevents the plate 49 from being moved upwardly when the plate is located therebeneath. The conveyor housing 36 is provided at the level of the upper edge of the rear portion 53 of the rim of the hopper 9 with a fastening 51 which includes a hook-like part 52 that engages over said portion 53 of the rim and that can be releasably secured to the latter by, for example, two bolts 54 and 58.

An uppermost portion 55 of the conveyor housing 36 is turnable relative to the remainder 56 of that housing about the longitudinal axis thereof. The lowermost end of the portion 55 carries a larger diameter sleeve 57 that engages over the uppermost end of the lower portion 56 of the housing 36 in surrounding and centering relationship. The sleeve 57 carries a projecting lug 59 and the lower portion 56 of the housing 36 carries, adjacent its uppermost end, a ring 66 formed with a plurality of holes (not visible in the drawings). The projecting lug 59 carries a spring-loaded vertical locking pin 60 and it will be evident that the uppermost portion 55 of the conveyor housing 36 can be turned around the longitudinal axis of the whole housing relative to the lower portion 56 thereof until a chosen angular setting is reached, this setting being maintained by entering the locking pin 60 through an appropriate one of the holes in the ring 66. Immediately beneath the bearing 40, the conveyor housing 36 is provided with a tubular delivery member 61 that is inclined downwardly from its uppermost to its lowermost end and that, in the position thereof shown in the drawings, extends transversely over the right-hand lateral portion 92 of the rim of the hopper 9. The radial distance 62 (FIG. 2) between the longitudinal axis of the shaft 39 and the outlet end of the delivery member 61 is greater than half the maximum width 63 of the hopper 9 as measured in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction 23. As previously mentioned, the longitudinal axis of the conveyor housing 36 is coincident with that of the shaft 26 when the coupling mechanism 47 is correctly engaged with the stop 34 and, when the implement is standing on horizontal ground, the conveyor housing 36 is vertically, or very nearly vertically, disposed.

In the use of the combined spreading implement and transport vehicle that has been described, a draw bar or other coupling member (not shown) at the leading end of the frame 1 is connected to the tow bar or hitch of an agricultural tractor or other vehicle and a universal joint or other coupling at the leading end (not shown) of the transmission shaft 30 is placed in driven connection with the power take-off shaft of the same agricultural tractor orother vehicle. The hopper 9 can carry a large load of powdered, granular or other discrete material such, purely for example, as cereal grains or other seeds, granular fertilizers, lime or sand and, when required, the load can be discharged without difficulty over the rim of the hopper by way of the delivery member 61 of the delivery mechanism 35. This is effected by driving the shaft 26 of the gear box 27 from the power take-off shaft of the towing tractor or other vehicle so that the spreading member 25 rotates in the direction 64 (FIG. 4). Provided that the locating and supporting member 41 is correctly positioned, the stop or engagement cam 34 will come rapidly into driving engagement with the arm 48, the lug locating over the plate 49 to ensure that the drive is not interrupted as a result of axial displacement of the delivery mechanism 35. The shaft 39 is caused to rotate about its substantially vertically disposed longitudinal axis so that the archimedean screw or auger blade 38 is driven from the gear box 27 and shaft 26 and raises the material in the hopper 9 through the tubular conveyor housing 36 in the known manner of such auger mechanisms. The lowermost end of the shaft 39 also constitutes part of the driving means for the archimedean screw or auger blade 38 and is entered through the outlet portion 22 of the hopper 9, through the outlet port 22A and through the horizontal bottom plate 46 of the locating and supporting member 41. When material elevated through the conveyor housing 36 reaches the uppermost end thereof, it passes laterally into the downwardly inclined tubular delivery member 61 from the outlet mouth of which it is supplied into a store, to treatment mechanism or onto a conveyor. Although the tubular delivery member 61 has been illustrated as being of rigid construction with a fixed radial length 62, it is within the scope of the invention to form said delivery member as a flexible hose or the like of variable effective length. As previously mentioned, the angular setting around the longitudinal axis 65 of the shaft 39 at which delivery from the member 61 actually takes place can be changed as required by withdrawing the locking pin 60 from one of the holes in the ring 66 and rotating the uppermost portion of the conveyor housing 36 relative to the lower portion 56 until the desired setting is attained. The locking pin is then re-entered in the nearest available hole in the ring 66. Sufficient holes may be formed through the ring 66 to provide adjustability throughout 360 around the axis and it is preferred that sufficient holes should be formed to provide adjustability throughout not less than 180 around that axis.

The delivery mechanism 35 can be removed from the hopper 9 by rotating the spreading member manually through approximately half a turn in a direction opposite to the direction 64 (FIG. 4). This brings the stop 34 completely out of engagement with the arm 48 and plate 49 whereafter it is only necessary to release the bolts or other fastenings 54 and 58 to allow the delivery mechanism 35 to be lifted clear of the hopper 9. As previously mentioned, the asymmetrical construction of the locating and supporting member 41 and the parts with which it co-operates at the bottom of the hopper 9 ensures that the delivery mechanism 35 occupies its correct position relative to the bottom of said hopper without any tendency to rotation or other displacement. The outlet port 22A of the hopper 9 is effectively closed by the cylindrical portion 42 of the locating and supporting member 41 which portion 42 has a closed bottom plate 46. After the delivery mechanism 35 has been removed from the hopper 9, the combined spreading implement and transport vehicle can be employed for spreading granular, powdered or other particulate materials over the ground. For this purpose, a flow control or dosing mechanism 70 is arranged between the spout-like outlet portion 22 of the hopper 9 and a central elevated step 72 of the disc 31 as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. The flow control or dosing mechanism 70 comprises a cylindrical annulus or ring 71 in which at least one (and preferably two or more) outlet port 73 is formed. Material from the interior of the hopper 9 reaches the spreading member 25 by way of the outlet port(s) 73 and, in order to vary the quantity of material per unit time which is spread, one or more masking plates 74 (corresponding in number to the number of outlet ports 73) are mounted on a ring which is angularly adjustable around the annulus 71 so that the outlet port( s) 73 can be covered by said masking plate(s) 74 to a chosen extent that is variable between complete coverage (no flow) and no coverage (maximum rate of flow). Means (not shown) are provided to prevent the annulus 71 from rotating with the disc 31 of the rotary spreading member 25 and means (not shown) is preferably also provided to enable the angular settings of the annulus 71 and ring that carries the masking plate(s) 74 around the axis of rotation afforded by the shaft 26 to be adjusted. Such adjustment enables the direction in which the material is ejected from the implement by the spreading blades 32, relative to the path of travel of the implement, to be changed as required. The rapid rotation of the spreading member 25 causes material which reaches it from the hopper 9 through the outlet port(s) 73 to be centrifugally ejected from the blades 32 in a generally known manner.

With some discrete materials, particularly when they are damp, there is a danger that bridging or caking of the material in the hopper 9 may occur thus interfering with the flow of material to the spreading member 25. When there is any appreciable danger of this, an agitator 75 may be fitted in the hopper 9. The agitator 75 has a central shaft as upper region of which carries a plurality of downwardly inclined stirring rods 76 and a plurality of upwardly inclined stirring rods 77, these rods being constructed, if desired, in integral pairs. A lower region of the central shaft of the agitator 75 car ries a number of toothed agitating discs which can be seen in FIG. 5 of the drawings. In order to connect the agitator to the upper portion 33 of the shaft 26, a ring 79 is fitted thereto, said ring 79 carrying a projecting arm 80 which co-operates with the stop or engagement cam 34 in the manner previously described with reference to FIG. 4 of the drawings in connection with the arm 48 and associated plate 49. Rotation of the shaft 26 thus causes engagement of the ring 79 and sub sequent driving thereof. The ring 79 has a projecting eye 78 through which the lowermost end of the central shaft of the agitator 75 is entered with a degree of clearance sufficient to enable the agitator 75 to execute a universal tilting motion relative to said eye 78. It will be appreciated that this form of eccentric connection of the foot of the agitator 75 to the shaft 26 causes a combined rotary and rocking motion of the agitator 75 in a lower region of the hopper 9 which motion is sufficient to prevent the occurrence of blockages that would interfere with the passage of the material to the outlet port(s) 73.

.Since the spout-like outlet portion 22 of the hopper 9 and the central region of the spreading member 25 are located behind the ground wheels 2, 3 and 4 of the implement, material can be ejected from the spreading member 25 rearwardly, and to some extent laterally, of the implement without striking any parts thereof. It will be recalled that, as mentioned above, it is preferred to provide means (not shown) by which the direction of ejection of the material from the spreading member 25 can be adjusted to some extent so that, for example, material can be spread principally to the left, principally to the right or wholly to the rear of the implement with respect to its path of travel during a spreading operation.

In the combined spreading implement and transport vehicle which has been described by way of example, the delivery mechanism 35 is removed from the hopper 9 when the implement is to be used for a spreading operation. However, this is not essential and the delivery mechanism may, as an alternative, be retained in the hopper 9 during operative rotation of the spreading member 25. For this purpose, the lowermost end of the central shaft 39 may be releasably connected to the disc 31 in a different manner to that previously described. It is possible, for example, to replace the stop or engagement cam 34 by a removable or retractable member so that, upon the removal or retraction of that member, the shaft 26 no longer drives the coupling mechanism 47 and the shaft 39. The flow control or dosing mechanism 70 that is shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings is then not required but it is necessary to form the bottom plate 46 (FIG. 3) with at least one outlet port and to provide a relatively rotatable masking plate formed with at least one outlet opening that can be brought into register with said outlet port(s) to a chosen extent. Clearly, the outlet port(s) will be entirely closed when the implement is to be used for transport, rather than spreading, operations. This latter construction does have the advantage that the delivery mechanism 35 and the driving means therefor may be left in position in the hopper 9 when the implement is required to perform spreading operations instead of transport operations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A transportable implement comprising a container supported on a movable frame, said container having a lower outlet spout and a spreader rotatably mounted below said spout, an upright delivery mechanism with a rotatable conveyor in a tube being supported in said container adjacent said spout, said conveyor being connected to said spreader to rotate with same and driving means connected to said spreader to drive the spreader and conveyor, the ends of said conveyor being sup ported in bearings and said tube being supported by bar means which extends from the tube to bear on the sides of said container whereby said delivery mechanism can be removed from said container.

2. A transportable implement comprising a frame and a container with an upper rim, a rotary spreading member being mounted below an outlet of said container and driving means connected to said member, said container having at least one outlet to permit the passage of material from the container to said spreading member, said container having a delivery mechanism for conveying the contents thereof, said delivery mechanism comprising a conveying member positioned within said container to deliver material upwardly over the upper rim of said container, said delivery mechanism being operatively connected to said driving means through said spreading member, said spreading member having a stop which is rotated during operation and said conveying member being releasably connected to said stop whereby the delivery mechanism as a whole can be detached from said container.

3. The implement of claim 2, wherein a flow control mechanism is interposed between said outlet of the container and said spreading member, said flow control mechanism having at least one outlet port with adjustable closing means to more or less close said port.

4. An implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outlet of said container is in the bottom thereof.

5. An implement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said conveying member is connected to said driving means at a point adjacent said outlet.

6. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein a part of said driving means passes through the bottom of said container and said part is a rotary shaft drivingly connected to said conveying member.

7. An implement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lower end of said conveying member is driven through a spout-like outlet portion at the bottom of said container, said outlet portion being occupied by a locating and supporting member of said delivery mechanism.

8. An implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said locating and supporting member is closely fitted in said spout-like outlet portion and is retained by said stop to be substantially immovable in directions transverse to the longitudinal axis of said outlet portion.

9. An implement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said locating and supporting member is rigidly secured to said delivery mechanism and said member and mechanism being releasable together from said container.

10. An implement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said conveying member includes a rotatable shaft and said locating and supporting member includes a bearing for one end of said shaft.

11. An implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein a flow control mechanism is associated with said outlet and said flow control mechanism is replaceable by said delivery mechanism, said flow control mechanism being positionable between said spout-like outlet portion of the container and said rotary spreading member.

12. An implement as claimed in claim 1 1, wherein an agitator is connectable to said driving means within said container.

13. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said conveying member of said delivery mechanism extends substantially vertically.

14. An implement as claimed in claim 13, wherein said conveying member is located internally of a cylindrical conveying tube of said delivery mechanism and said tube is connected to the bottom of said container.

15. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said container has a spout-like outlet portion and walls which slope towards said portion adjacent the bottom of said container, the upper extremities of said outlet portion being connected to relatively inclined ascending walls of said container.

16. An implement as claimed in claim 15, wherein said container has one wall which is inclined to the horizontal by more than 60 and the conveying member extends upright at a location adjacent said one wall.

17. An implement as claimed in claim 16, wherein said one wall is the rear wall of said container with respect to the direction of travel.

18. An implement as claimed in claim 15, wherein said delivery mechanism is releasably secured to at least one wall of said container by a fastening.

19. An implement as claimed in claim 18, wherein said delivery mechanism is releasably secured to the rear wall of said container and said rear wall is inclined to the horizontal at about 60 or more.

20. An implement as claimed in claim 19, wherein said container has a further wall inclined to the horizontal at an angle of about 45 or less, said further wall being located opposite said rear wall.

21. A transportable implement comprising a container supported on a movable frame, said container having sloping walls and an outlet spout at the bottom of said container, a spreader rotatably mounted on said frame below said spout and an upright delivery mechanism comprising a rotatable conveyor in a tube supported in said container adjacent said spout, said conveyor being operatively connected to said spreader to rotate with same, driving means connected to said spreader to drive said spreader and conveyor, the lower end of said conveyor being releasably connected to said spreader by a coupling mechanism whereby said delivery mechanism is replaceable by a flow control mechanism and an agitator which rotates during spreading operations.

22. A transportable implement comprising a container supported on a movable frame, said container having sloping walls and an outlet spout at the bottom of said container, a spreader rotatably mounted on said frame below said spout and an upright delivery mechanism comprising a rotatable conveyor in a tube supported in said container adjacent said spout, said conveyor being operatively connected to said spreader to rotate with same, said conveyor comprising a rotatable screw within a tube and said tube being releasably supported at the rear of said container by a lower support member which comprises a funnel portion that conforms to said sloping walls adjacent said outlet spout, an upper fastening member on said tube detachably connected to the rim of said container, the screw of said container being releasably connected to said spreader whereby the delivery mechanism as a whole can be removed from within said container.

23. A transportable implement comprising a container supported on a movable frame, said container having downwardly converging walls and an outlet spout at the rear of said container, a spreader rotatably mounted below said spout, said bottom sloping to the rear of said container and an upright delivery mechanism with a rotatable screw conveyor on a shaft mounted in bearings in a tube being supported in said container adjacent said spout, the lower end of said shaft passing through said outlet spout and being releasably secured to said spreader at the center thereof to rotate with same and driving means connected to said spreader to drive the spreader and conveyor, said spreading member having a stop which is rotated during operation and said conveying member beingreleasably connected to said stop whereby the delivery mechanism as a whole can be detached from said container. 

1. A transportable implement comprising a container supported on a movable frame, said container having a lower outlet spout and a spreader rotatably mounted below said spout, an upright delivery mechanism with a rotatable conveyor in a tube being supported in said container adjacent said spout, said conveyor being connected to said spreader to rotate with same and driving means connected to said spreader to drive the spreader and conveyor, the ends of said conveyor being supported in bearings and said tube being supported by bar means which extends from the tube to bear on the sides of said container whereby said delivery mechanism can be removed from said container.
 2. A transportable implement comprising a frame and a container with an upper rim, a rotary spreading member being mounted below an outlet of said container and driving means connected to said member, said container having at least one outlet to permit the passage of material from the container to said spreading member, said container having a delivery mechanism for conveying the contents thereof, said delivery mechanism comprising a conveying member positioned within said container to deliver material upwardly over the upper rim of said container, said delivery mechanism being operatively connected to said driving means through said spreading member, said spreading member having a stop which is rotated during operation and said conveying member being releasably connected to said stop whereby the delivery mechanism as a whole can be detached from said container.
 3. The implement of claim 2, wherein a flow control mechanism is interposed between said outlet of the container and said spreading member, said flow control mechanism having at least one outlet port with adjustable closing means to more or less close said port.
 4. An implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outlet of said container is in the bottom thereof.
 5. An implement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said conveying member is connected to said driving means at a point adjacent said outlet.
 6. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein a part of said driving means passes through the bottom of said container and said part is a rotary shaft drivingly connected to said conveying member.
 7. An implement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lower end of said conveying member is Driven through a spout-like outlet portion at the bottom of said container, said outlet portion being occupied by a locating and supporting member of said delivery mechanism.
 8. An implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said locating and supporting member is closely fitted in said spout-like outlet portion and is retained by said stop to be substantially immovable in directions transverse to the longitudinal axis of said outlet portion.
 9. An implement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said locating and supporting member is rigidly secured to said delivery mechanism and said member and mechanism being releasable together from said container.
 10. An implement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said conveying member includes a rotatable shaft and said locating and supporting member includes a bearing for one end of said shaft.
 11. An implement as claimed in claim 7, wherein a flow control mechanism is associated with said outlet and said flow control mechanism is replaceable by said delivery mechanism, said flow control mechanism being positionable between said spout-like outlet portion of the container and said rotary spreading member.
 12. An implement as claimed in claim 11, wherein an agitator is connectable to said driving means within said container.
 13. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said conveying member of said delivery mechanism extends substantially vertically.
 14. An implement as claimed in claim 13, wherein said conveying member is located internally of a cylindrical conveying tube of said delivery mechanism and said tube is connected to the bottom of said container.
 15. An implement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said container has a spout-like outlet portion and walls which slope towards said portion adjacent the bottom of said container, the upper extremities of said outlet portion being connected to relatively inclined ascending walls of said container.
 16. An implement as claimed in claim 15, wherein said container has one wall which is inclined to the horizontal by more than 60* and the conveying member extends upright at a location adjacent said one wall.
 17. An implement as claimed in claim 16, wherein said one wall is the rear wall of said container with respect to the direction of travel.
 18. An implement as claimed in claim 15, wherein said delivery mechanism is releasably secured to at least one wall of said container by a fastening.
 19. An implement as claimed in claim 18, wherein said delivery mechanism is releasably secured to the rear wall of said container and said rear wall is inclined to the horizontal at about 60* or more.
 20. An implement as claimed in claim 19, wherein said container has a further wall inclined to the horizontal at an angle of about 45* or less, said further wall being located opposite said rear wall.
 21. A transportable implement comprising a container supported on a movable frame, said container having sloping walls and an outlet spout at the bottom of said container, a spreader rotatably mounted on said frame below said spout and an upright delivery mechanism comprising a rotatable conveyor in a tube supported in said container adjacent said spout, said conveyor being operatively connected to said spreader to rotate with same, driving means connected to said spreader to drive said spreader and conveyor, the lower end of said conveyor being releasably connected to said spreader by a coupling mechanism whereby said delivery mechanism is replaceable by a flow control mechanism and an agitator which rotates during spreading operations.
 22. A transportable implement comprising a container supported on a movable frame, said container having sloping walls and an outlet spout at the bottom of said container, a spreader rotatably mounted on said frame below said spout and an upright delivery mechanism comprising a rotatable conveyor in a tube supported in said container adjacent said spout, said conveyor being operatively connected to said spreader to rotAte with same, said conveyor comprising a rotatable screw within a tube and said tube being releasably supported at the rear of said container by a lower support member which comprises a funnel portion that conforms to said sloping walls adjacent said outlet spout, an upper fastening member on said tube detachably connected to the rim of said container, the screw of said container being releasably connected to said spreader whereby the delivery mechanism as a whole can be removed from within said container.
 23. A transportable implement comprising a container supported on a movable frame, said container having downwardly converging walls and an outlet spout at the rear of said container, a spreader rotatably mounted below said spout, said bottom sloping to the rear of said container and an upright delivery mechanism with a rotatable screw conveyor on a shaft mounted in bearings in a tube being supported in said container adjacent said spout, the lower end of said shaft passing through said outlet spout and being releasably secured to said spreader at the center thereof to rotate with same and driving means connected to said spreader to drive the spreader and conveyor, said spreading member having a stop which is rotated during operation and said conveying member being releasably connected to said stop whereby the delivery mechanism as a whole can be detached from said container. 